Eight Reasons to Love Hockey

Here in America, I have a hard time finding a fan of my local team, much less a fan of the NHL itself. People across Europe and Canada come to play in the NHL, and they don't even get broadcast TV time. Hockey is the only large sport that I know of where one can't watch the Championships on regular, broadcast television, or even regular cable packages, for that matter. Here are 8 reasons why hockey should be more popular.

8. Fast Pace

The game of Hockey is played faster than any other sport. The tide of a game can change insanely fast. It only takes seconds for a goal to be scored. Hockey has less stoppage than any other mainstream sport. Basketball stops frequently, and football players take a 40-second break after every play.

Here is a video of 3 goals being scored in just a few minutes in the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The momentum shift in these few minutes is epic.

If you're curious, the Canadians went on to win the series in game 7.

7. Team work

Hockey is a team sport. Yeah, so what? So are football, baseball, and basketball. In football, if everyone is not on the same page, a play will go bad and you lose a down. In basketball, if everyone isn't on the same page, the point guard will take it to the net himself. In baseball, you can just sit there, bored as hell, in the outfield, while your pitcher takes care of the would-be hitters.

In hockey, if your team is even the slightest bit off, a turn over can happen, and turnovers in Hockey, as in other sports, result often in goals. When you are playing a low scoring game such as hockey, a turnover goal can be a game ender.

Chief's goalie screws up the pass to his defenseman and pays the price. The amount of awareness and ability required to play a game together with your teammates should be held in higher respect in America.

6. The Hits

Yeah, there are some good football hits out there. Now just imagine if those players who were blind-sided by a linebacker were on ice! The carnage would be crazy! Too bad we don't have a sport like that.

Oh wait….

You'd think that America's thirst for violence on TV would make hockey the number one sport, eh?

5. The Fights

Are you kidding me? A brawl on the ice? I would watch that. Oh? It's called Hockey….Well, if you say so….

Although the NHL is trying to cut down on most fighting, it still happens. You can't crash into a team for 60 minutes and not evoke some anger. Here is a massive brawl between the Flyers and Senators. It lasts a few minutes and it's over….or is it?

Still not interested in hockey? Check out these clutch plays.

4. The Saves

Watching goalies stop pucks that can come at them at speeds over 100 miles per hour is impressive. Watching them go head over heels to make saves off of rebounds is flat out incredible. I'm not sure that there is any other sport out there that so much responsibility lies with one player, who gives so much to keep the rubber out of the net.

Could you do that?

3. The Goals

Ice skating is one thing, using a stick to rocket a hunk of rubber as hard as you can at a goal that is hardly larger than the goaltender is another thing altogether. Hockey players have to learn how to shoot both left and right handed, and behind the back (both ways again). Shooting left gives most players an advantage of shooting away from the goalies glove, but shot opportunities are not always available from the position you want them.

2. The History

Hockey has a rich, deep history, with great players such as Wayne Gretzky featured in this clip. NHL started in 1917 with just 4 teams, and now it has grown to 30 franchises.

The Improbable

Every sport has its insane moments. If the fights and hits weren't crazy enough for you, check out this. If this isn't the Hail Mary of Hockey, I'm not sure what is.

Hockey requires agility, strength, endurance, awareness, speed, reflexes, and years of training, just as any other sport does. People say hockey is boring, but how can they say that? Certainly, they haven't watched these clips.

I don't know you, or how much you enjoy your hockey, but I hope this article might change your mind about one of the greatest sports of all time.